Snap fastener nut



June 10, 1941. J. P. BURKE 2,244,823

SNAP FASTENER NUT Filed July 3, 1939 6 I'll 'IIII ,zz: ===zzi 6 6 3 5 INVENTOR.

75274? F 302%! F 9 BY WW ATTORNEY.

Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATE SNAP FASTE EEB NUT James P. Burke, Knoxville, Tenn., assigno'r to Bert L. Quarnstrom and F. L. McLaughlin, both of Detroit, Mich.

Application July 3, 1939, Serial No. 282,752

3 Claims.

This invention relates to nuts and has for its primary object to provide a nut having means for retaining itself on one of a plurality of members to be secured together in order to avoid the necessity of holding the nut in place or against rotation when a screw or bolt is inserted therein, and in order that the nut may serve as a locating means for relatively positioning a plurality of members to be secured together. In this broad aspect the invention is similar to the subject matter shown and claimed in my Patent 2,164,- 382, issued July 4, 1939, with which this application is co-pending.

In the patent above referred to the function of securing the nut in place and against rotation is obtained through use of coacting parts of the nut and the supporting member which are rendered operative by rotation. This invention differs from my prior invention by the provision of retaining means which functions in the manner of a snap fastening device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nut composed of thin metal bent to provide a snap fastening means and a screw receiving portion. To this end, the thin metal of which the nut is formed is bent into U-shape, and comprises a base portion with two parallel upstanding branch portions pierced and bent to provide coacting shoulder portions. The base portion is pierced, slitted and bent to provide lead portions enabling the base portion to function as a thread. The base portion is preferably thicker and/or stiifer than the branch portions, 9. result obtained either by increasing thickness by providing a plurality of folds or laminations or by the use of reinforcing shapes or designs. As a result of this condition, the yielding or flexing necessary to snap one pair of shoulders through an aperture takes place in the branch portions or the inserted shoulders rather than in the base portion. This is desirable because it avoids distortion of the thread portion in the base portion.

Other objects and advantages will become more fully apparent as reference is had to the accompanying drawing wherein my invention is illustrated, and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the nut,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view,

Fig. 3 illustrates the nut snap fastened to an apertured member,

Fig. 4 is a section illustrating the nut in its operative relation with the members to be held together,

Fig. 5 is a section illustrating a single thread nut,

but illustrating the prongs prior to bending thereof, I

Fig. 10 illustrates a nut having an internally threaded clinch nut clinched thereon, and

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a modification.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, the nut is of U-shape as viewed in side elevation or in one cross section, and is comprised of a single piece of thin metal so bent as to provide a base portion l, composed of a multiplicity of folds, and two parallel branches 2, upstanding .with respect to the base portion. The several folds of the base portion are each-pierced to provide a circular aperture I and a radial slit 4. The metal on opposite sides of the slits is bent in such manner as to provide a lead angle which enables each fold to function as a thread.

The upstanding branch portions 1 are bent laterally outwardly to form shoulders 5, and have prong-like portions i struck outwardly and-constituting a second or additional set of shoulders in spaced. relation to the first set i,

As viewed in Fig. 2, the folded or base portion of the nut is rectangular, and the upstanding branch portions 2 arise from opposite ends of this rectangular formation. This shape prevents turning of the nut when it is inserted in an aperture having a similar shape.

Fig. 3 illustrates the nut assembled in an aperture I of a sheet member I; the member I preferably having a concavo-convex formation 9 in the bottom of which the aperture is located. To assemble the nut in the relation shown the base portion I is inserted through the aperture, and the prong-like shoulders 6 are enabled to pass through the aperture by flexing of the branch portions as indicated by dotted lines. when the prong-like shoulders pass the mar nal wall of the aperture they snap into engagement with the bottom surface of the member, and coact with the shoulder portions I in holding the nut with respect to the member I. In other words, the shoulders 5 and 8 snare portions of the member l therebetween to retain the nut on the mema recessin which the shoulders I are located and therefore disposed below the plane or the top sur- 7 face of the member 8.

A second sheet member it. is secured to the member 8 by inserting a screw or bolt i i through an aperture 112' therein and into engagement with the base portion of the nut. The width of the threads on the screw or bolt ii is greater than the thickness of the metal from which the nut is formed, and the folds are spread apart. As the screw is tightened it tends to pull the spread folds back together with the result that the folds set up a binding action tending to prevent removal of the screw.

The multiple folds of the base portion l render the base portion stiffer than the upstanding branch portions 2 and the prong-like shoulders 6. Therefore, deflection necessary to snap the shoulders 6 through the aperture is confined either to the branch portions 2 or the shoulders 6. Distortion of the base portion such as might interfere with insertion of the screw is thus avoided. It is contemplated, however, that where a single thread is sufficient the base portion may be composed of a single thickness of metal. This is shown in Fig. 5 where a base it, composed of a single thickness of metal, is pierced at it and slitted and bent at 82 to enable the wall of the aperture to function as a thread. Upstanding branch portions l3, integral with the base portion, are bent laterally outward to provide shoulder portions M and have portions thereof struck outwardly to provide prong-like shoulders E5 in spaced relation to the shoulders it.

In Fig. 6 the construction is quite similar to that shown in Fig. 5 in that the base portion We is composed of a single thickness of metal. In this case the base portion is connected to the upstanding branch portions l3a by reversely bent portions I 6. The portions l6 constitute spring portions which enable flexing of the branches without bending the base portion.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a nut similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with an alternative formation of the prong-like shoulder members. In Figs. 8 and 9 the prong-like shoulders 6a. are formed by providing prong-like extensions on the ends of the branch portions 211, originally shaped as shown in Fig. 9, and subsequently bent to the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 10 illustrates a nut formed with a base portion 20, two sets 2| and 22 of shoulders integrally connected to the base portion by upstanding branch portions it, and a standard nut 2t clinched in an aperture 25 in the base portion.

Fig. ll illustrates a nut wherein the multiple fold base portion St is nested within the branch portions 8i, upon which the shoulder portions 32 and 38 are formed. The. base portion is spaced from the branch portions at both ends to enable inward flexing of the branches.

What is claimed is:

l. A nut composed of a single piece of resiliently yieldable stools and oi U-shape cross section, the base of said U being of multiple folds jointly pierced to provide a screw receiving opening, and shoulder portions extending laterally of each the branches or said U at spaced points along the length thereof, said branches being adapted to be compressed toward each other to enable certain of said shoulders to snap past the walls of an aperture.

2. A nut of a single piece of resiliently flexible thin material bent into a U-shaped cross section with the base of the U comprising folded portions thereby forming a multiple thickness, the branches of said U being turned laterally outwardly, and shoulder portions extending laterally outwardly from each of said branches below the outwardly extending ends thereof, said branches being resiliently compressible toward each other to enable some of said shoulders to snap past the walls of an aperture.

3. A nut of U-shape in cross-section comprising integral branches joined by a base portion of mul. tiple folds, the folds of said base being jointly pierced to receive a screw, the outer ends of said branches being turned laterally outwardly to form shoulders and additional shoulders extending laterally outwardly from said base portion, in combination with a sheet of material having a depressed portion pierced to receive said nut. said additional shoulders being yieldable toward each other upon application of pressure in forcing said nut into said opening whereby said sheet is snared between the sets of shoulders. and a screw extending through both of said openings for securing said sheets together, said screw upon being rotated forcing said additional shoulders against the first named sheet and spreading the folds of said base portion to lock all of the parts in fixed relation.

JAMES P. BURKE. 

